1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to protective devices, and more particularly to a protective device for placement on an edge of a glass object such as a vehicle window when the window is partly lowered.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vehicles, such as automobiles, are often driven with the windows in a partly lowered position. In this position, the window edge is exposed and defines a space between the door frame of the vehicle and the window edge. It is common for animals riding in the vehicle as well as children and adults to extend a portion of their bodies such as their head or a limb out the partially opened window. Sometimes, the body part is rested directly against the edge of the window and other times the body part is simply held in the open space above the window edge.
As the vehicle is moving, it often encounters bumps or hazardous road conditions causing the vehicle to move in an upward or downward direction. This sudden movement can cause injury to the person or the animal extending a portion of their body through the opening between the window edge and the door frame. The body part can abruptly strike the window edge with significant force causing relatively severe injury to the body part. In one example, dogs riding in vehicles often like to place their heads out of an open window and when the vehicle strikes a bump, the dogs head slams against the window edge causing injury to the dog. The injury can be to the jaw bone or to the teeth of the dog and it is often quite severe.
Glass objects such as tables often have edges that are exposed. People and pets may bump into the table edge and suffer injury. This is a fairly common occurrence with young children. A child may fall and hit the table edge and suffer severe injury.
Raffa U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,754 discloses an automobile pet head rest that attaches to the top edge of a window. The device disclosed in Raffa is essentially linear in design for attachment to only the top relatively flat edge of the window. The device includes a dual-layer cushion with one layer telescopically received in the other. Between the two cushions are sandwiched a pair of clipping members which bias the U-shaped cushions toward one another closing the gap between two edges of a slot. The device also includes an outer shell protecting the inner layers. The device is received over the window edge along the top of the window and the clipping members tend to squeeze the glass within the slot between the edges.
The device disclosed in Raffa is fairly complex in construction and includes a number of discrete components including two cushion layers, a sheath, and a pair of clipping members. Additionally, the clipping members are fairly elaborate and would require significant separate tooling in order to manufacture the clips independent of the cushion layers. Also, the device is linear and is not intended to be bent over a curved portion of the window or other glass object. The device is simply intended as a pet head rest for installation on the top of a window edge.
One object of the present invention is to provide a protective device for installation on an edge of a partially opened vehicle window or on an edge of a glass object. Another object of the present invention is to provide such a protective device that is relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture and install. Another object of the present invention is to provide such a protective device that can follow the contour of a curved edge of a glass object or a vehicle window when the window is partly opened and yet stay retained on the curved edge. A further object of the present invention is to provide such a protective device that requires fewer parts to manufacture and assemble in order to produce the finished product. A still further object of the present invention is to provide a relatively flexible protective device that can be easily removed and stored when not in use.
These and other objects features and advantages of the present invention are provided by a protective device constructed according to the teachings of the present invention. The protective device is intended for installation on an edge of a vehicle window or a glass object. In one example, the protective device has a relatively flexible elongate cylindrical body with an exterior surface terminating at a pair of opposed ends. The body also has a longitudinal axis and a length between the opposed ends in a direction of the longitudinal axis. The device has a glass object receiving slot formed in the body that extends between the opposed ends in the direction of the longitudinal axis. The slot has a pair of opposed and spaced apart slot walls that face one another. The slot extends slightly helically around the cylindrical body between the opposed ends.
In one example, a generally cylindrical center bore is disposed at the longitudinal axis and extends the length of the body. The center bore has a diameter that is larger than a width of the slot between the slot walls.
In one example, the center bore is substantially a circular cylinder. In another embodiment, the center bore has a diameter of less than about one fourth a diameter of the body.
In one example, the protective device has at least one projection protruding from each of the slot walls. Each projection protrudes from a respective one of the slot walls and generally toward the other of the slot walls.
In one example, the elongate body is generally a circular cylinder. In another example, the body is fabricated from an ultraviolet protected silicone rubber material. In a further example, the protective device is extruded from an ultraviolet protected silicone rubber material. In a still further example, the body is generally linear when not installed on the edge of the glass object.
In one example, the protective device has at least one projection protruding from each of the slot walls and generally toward the other of the slot walls. The projections each comprise a continuous rib extending over the entire length of the slot.
In one example, the protective device further has a plurality of the projections formed on each of the slot walls. In another example, the projections further comprise at least two generally parallel and spaced apart continuous ribs formed on each of the slot walls and extending over a substantial portion of a length of the slot.
In one example, the projections each further comprise a plurality of spaced apart discrete protrusions arranged linearly along each of the slot walls over a substantial portion of a length of the slot.
In one example, each of the projections has a generally semi-spherical shape in cross section.
In one example, the protective device is received over a partially lowered vehicle window.
In another example according to the teachings of the present invention, a protective device for placement on an edge of a partially lowered vehicle window includes a relatively flexible elongate body. The body has an exterior circular cylindrical surface terminating at a pair of opposed ends, a longitudinal axis, an exterior surface diameter, and a length between the opposed ends in a direction of the longitudinal axis. The device has a slot formed in the body for receiving the window edge. The slot extends between the opposed ends in the direction of the longitudinal axis. The slot has a pair of opposed slot walls facing one another and spaced apart about one-sixteenth of an inch or less. The slot extends slightly helically around the cylindrical body between the opposed ends.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon a review of the detailed description and accompanying drawings. Though particular examples according to the teachings of the present invention are disclosed, the invention is not to be so limited. Changes and modifications can be made to the examples disclosed herein and yet fall within the scope and spirit of the present invention.